Earlier this week, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sought to overcome the GOP’s resistance to voting on a Senate-passed measure that would extend Bush-era tax cuts to middle class Americans by introducing a discharge petition that, if signed by 218 members, could force the House to take-up the measure. Some Republicans, weary of the overwhelming public support for raising rates on the richest two percent of Americans, have urged the GOP leadership to allow the vote, but have yet to formally sign Pelosi’s discharge. Republican leadership continues to insist on extending tax cuts for all Americans, while President Obama said he would only sign legislation that would maintain reductions for individuals who earn $200,000 or less and couples who make $250,000 or less.

But in a recent photo-op with constituents, Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) explained why Republicans are refusing to give in. The Tennessee Republican admitted that he won’t vote to extend tax cuts to 98 percent of Americans because doing so would cede control to Democrats.

Wouldn't you love being a Republican member of the House? You get to flip the bird to your constituents secure in the knowledge that Freedom Works and billionaires like Koch and Sheldon Adelson will bankroll your campaign.

53. Why aren't there ads being run now?

57. WE DID NOT BRING UP ALL THE BAD THINGS THE GOP ARE IN 2012

So we are not smart enough to set the way back machine to review why the GOP is EVIL. We are the political party of GOOD which does not talk about BAD. One of these days our party may be mature enough to remind other of the dirty tricks the GOP plays with the public. We do have the intelligence factor which means it will take a big effort to dumb down the facts so those who do not have the cognizant ability can understand right from wrong.

2. OK, if that's the way he thinks he oughta go . . . .

59. Unfortunately, he's my congressman. A good stooge for the conservative GOP.

His father was congressman before him and there are those who think that when he retires, his son will win the position.

It seems there's a long history here of political "dynasties" and they are somewhat expected. And the same few people serve on every political or community organization in the area.

Guess they think there's only a very small pool of talent available and that none of the other 99.99 percent of the people could possibly have anything to contributes.

So, political control is held tightly and wielded forcefully. As in, "You and your kin will never work in this town again!", if you cross the Powers That Be.

Interestingly, they haven't had to worry about us Yankee retirees who have moved here because of them vote Republican. They haven't bothered to figure out this is a very Southern, right-wing, religious fundamentalist type of Republicanism.

For these people, it's truly ALL ABOUT THE POWER! Not about effective governing, not about the well-being of their country or even their community. Just POWER!

3. the tax break would be for everyone- not just the middle class.

"...President Obama said he would only sign legislation that would maintain reductions for individuals who earn $200,000 or less and couples who make $250,000 or less.

apparently, President Obama needs to take a class in civics, and learn a little about our tax system- the tax breaks would be on the first $200K/$250K of EVERYONE'S income- not just people earning less than that amount.

8. Actually, you did say that it was something that President Obama said...

Otherwise, why would you insist that President Obama "needs to take a class in civics":

...President Obama needs to take a class in civics, and learn a little about our tax system- the tax breaks would be on the first $200K/$250K of EVERYONE'S income- not just people earning less than that amount

34. So information consumers have no critical responsibilities of their own. We are passive recipients

of what "authority" delivers to us from the seat$$$$ of power.

Not sure that you should be on the internet; you may be in over your head here if you can't regard information as at least to some degree hypothetical, a degree that is significantly affected by the presence of quotation marks.

9. The Democratic Party could have control? That's not what Reid and others have told us.

The President, we have been assured, doesn't have real power in the presence of Republican opposition.

If he otherwise had real power, he could pick up the phone, call Rep. John Duncan (R-TN), and tell Duncan that he was going to have to start closing every military base in Tennessee -- starting with the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Duncan's district.

Unfortunately, however, our President is apparently just a figurehead who can take no action without the approval of Republicans.

29. So true!

31. Republicans are a toxin on the political process

They are self destructive and don't give a damn about who gets hurt from their intransigence. The only solution is to make a stronger effort to remove them form office in 2014.
They may have the majority but the raw numbers show that the majority nation wide voted for Democrats.

Make Bob Cratchet work until he is 70, just dont tax dear Scrooge.
Cut medical costs to Tiny Tim, please dont tax dear Scrooge.
Take the food off the Crachet table, For the love of money dont tax dear old Scrooge.

This is a losing battle for them, they are going to cling to the wealthy to the bitter end. Imagine if the GOP fought this hard to defend your tax cuts...whats that? They are using them as a lever? Middle class is now a pawn in their party game?

33. It sure as heck looks that way.

40. Honestly, let them lapse. Get the wealthy paying 1-4% more in taxes. That's good for this country. .

Don't worry the 99% of this country whose taxes are raised due to Republican greed, will rise up. Obama should DOUBLE the amount of the increase in their taxes every time they stall and obstruct. They'll come around. By the way...we are all paying the least tax in 30 years. The 1%-ers are still paying less even when their goes back to being what it was during Clinton. I believe they're paying 37% or so when it used to be 91% at one point. Wake up, people. The GOP knows it will help the country immensly automatically, so they don't dare want it to lapse. All of the people will know the truth and that they've been lied to all of this time.

52. The scenario.

The problem is that the huge US Federal debt is there. George W. Bush created it when he was President when he had the ' moral high ground ' with 9/11. He incompetantly over-spent on fake patriotism, and he slashed tax for the affluent, in a frenetic Class War. The debt is now out of control. The Democrats have the financial know-how to fix it, and they have the Presidential Office, and the Senate. But the crumby Conservatives have the Congress, and the Conservatives will simply backslide, obstruct, put on righteous conservative attitudes and airs, which are all crass and totally phoney, but they will do this to greedily hang onto their ill-gotten wealth, and indeed continue to raid the Government till in uniteral bargaining relating to House trade-offs. The conservative piggery also have the Fox media entirely behind them, and a declining intelligence quotient across the broader American population.